Greenhouse



July 3, 1928.

- J. K. MACDONALD Filed Sept Zia 1927 GREEQI HOUS E Patented July 3, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN K. MACDONALD, OF BIDGEWOOD, NEW ERSEY, ASSIGNOB TO HITCHINGS & COM- IPANY, OF ELIZABETH, NEW'J'ERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

GREENHOUSE.

Application filed September 23,1927. Serial No. 221,478.

This invention relates to improvements in roof construction for green-houses, or similar buildings, usually having glazed covering elements, or other material, more or less subject to the influence of varying temperatures.

One of the salient features of the invention resides in the provision of a, flexible mounting rigidly connected to certain of the structural elements of the roof and joined to the sash-bars thereof in a manner to per mit longitudinal movements of the latter without distortion of the covering elements.

Another object of the invention is cx m pressed in the novel and unique method of so connecting said flexible mounting, or resilient members, with the sash-barsso that the latter may unrestrictively flex laterally.

in order toaccommodate the expansion of said covering elements. y 1

Still another object of the invention is to provide a resilient mounting for the covering elements and sash-bars which is featured by its simplicity of construction and its efficiency in operation.

Still further features and advantages flowing from my invention will be readily understood on inspection of the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a sectional detail of a portion of a roof construction, embodying my invention, and illustrative of one of the forms thereof.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a view like unto Fig. 1, but depicting another form of the invention.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3; and

Figure 5 is a sectional View taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4 and illustrating the formation of this particular flexible sup port.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, let 10 denote the supporting rafters of the roof structure, which are suitably connected by a series of stringers 11 disposed at right angles therewith throughout the. structure. It will, of course, be understood that in accordance with general practice said rafters 10 may me connected at one end to the ridge pole of the structure, its lower end being suitably supported by posts, or the like, included in the sides of the building.

The covering elements 12 are preferably composed of glazed material, arranged in sections, havingtheir several lateral edges supported by a plurality of sash-bars 13 disposed above, and spaced from said rafters 10 and stringers 11, through the intermediary of resilient or flexible members :14 having theirlower ends suitably secured to sald stringers, as indicated at 15. 7

Upon inspection of Fig. 2 it will be noted that each of said sash-bars 13 is substantially inverted U-shaped in cross-section, the extremities of the leg portions being bent laterally to present flanges 16, directly supporting the edges of said covering elements 12. Said sash bais areconstructed of relatively thin material and it is obvious the lateral movements of the covering elements maybe accommodated by the flexing of the leg portions. In view of this construction the expansion and contraction of said covering elements is compensated for, but it is quite apparent thatthe movements of the sash-bars themselves must be accommodated as the same are equally as susceptible to the changing climatic conditions as the covering elements themselves.

To meet these conditions and to obviate the deteriorating effects flowing therefrom, my predecessors in this art have proposed and adopted means of connection between the sash-bars and the stringers, whereby a sliding movement is effected. The defects of such an arrangement are obvious, the most striking of which being loose connection necessarily existin between said sash-bars and their supports and the tendency of such a connection to become clogged and fail to operate.

In order to cure these defects I propose to support said sash-bars by means of the resilientmcmbers 14, which are inherently flexible and yielding in view of their relative thinness and their leaf-spring like structure. As aforesaid the lower ends of said members 14 are rigidly connected to the stringers 11, i

while their upper ends are preferably shouldered, as indicated at 17, to define a reduced connection has been adopted for the sake of r simplicity and it is quite manifest that I have substantially a Ilgid" connection existing at both ends of each of said members 14;" The longitudinal movements of the sash bars are readily '..accommodated through the. springy action of said members 14 which are capable of flexing in whicheverdirection u said sash-bars move and which are equally capable of returning tonormal position.

The form disclosed/in Figs. 3 and 4tis somewhat similar to my preferred form.' In this instancetlie flexible member is pro- 'videdwith a thinned portion QIintermediate the lower end of said'm'embem which is secured to the stringers by means of bolts, as indicated at 22, the-upper end of which being shouldered, as indicated at 23, to define a tenon 24 passing through an aperture 25 in the sash-bars. If desired, said tenon 24 may be provided with threads in order to receive a nut 26, I

As in my preferred form the sash-bars absorb the expansion of'the covering elements nnd'obvi'ously'the thinned portion 21 of said members 20, yieldably react to the changing longitudinal movements of said bars.

legportions thereof, and it is apparent that the collection of water upon the inner sides of the sash-bars may descend upon the lovver faces of the flanges 16 and escape to a point adjacent the eaves or other place of discharge.

Under no circumstances can this collected u atelfuttacli to ct 'intnnmis1'4 and 20, or the stringers, positioned therebeneath.

;I claim:

1. In a construction roof including I stringers and'channel-like sash-bars for supporting covering elements, means of resilient material connecting a sash bar and a stringer.

a roof' construction including v stringers and channel-like saslrba'rs-for supportlng covering elements,means of resilient material fixedly connecting a sash-bar and a stringer and adapted to flex between its points of connection to accommodate thelongitudinal movements of said saslrbar;

3. In a roof construction including stringers and channel-like sash-bars for supporting covering elementsf'means for connecting a sash-ba'r'andastringer, said means being thinned between its points of connection to rovide a flexible connection between said sas -baraiidii stringer.

4. In a" roof "constru'etion including stringers and cha'nnehlike sash-bars for supporting covering elements, meansof resilient material connecting a sash-bar'and'a stringer, said means havin'gitsupper end shouldered to abut the adjacent inner face of a sash-bar and presenting a, reduced portion insertible through said sash-bar.

JOHN K. MACDONALD. 

